10 Worst Penalty Misses in Soccer History

The penalty kick has long been revered as a means of making or breaking a match. It can all come down to an individual player one-on-one with the keeper, and it makes for some of the best moments in football.

Some situations see it put a team ahead, draw level, finish an opponent off or win or lose a major championship.

At other times it can just be a moment that purely frustrates. Liverpool's Luis Suarez felt that burn when he missed an opening day penalty at home in August of 2011 that would have seen the Reds go up 1-0 and see him score the first goal of the new Barclay's Premier League season.

A penalty kick situation also allows for some of the most scrutiny a player can and will ever feel during his career. The spot can be the most lonely place on the pitch when the end result goes south, and all of the players that follow have felt that sting in various amounts of intensity.

Sometimes it just isn't a good thing to try to be crafty when your team needs a goal. Just ask Robert Pires and Thierry Henry about their Arsenal days.

Trickery, again, is not always the best thing to try when a game is in the balance. Neymar felt the wrong end of the criticism when his attempted shot did not go as he had planned.

When the keeper has the time to dive two directions and save your shot, you know it was not of the best quality.

United were up 1-0 on Arsenal with only 18 minutes and stoppage time left. Wayne Rooney could have all but put the game to bed, but his majestic buildup only produced a shot that blasted into the stands.

Tevez nearly missed the exact same way against Wigan Athletic in September of 2011. This miss handed the Uruguayans a chance to keep going in the 2011 Copa America, which they eventually won.

Some fans just don't trust the players to convert and feel it is up to them to take matters into their own hands.

Landon Donovan assisted his club in gifting away the 2009 MLS Cup to Real Salt Lake with this miss in the penalty shootout.

Manchester United's Dimitar Berbatov might as well have passed the ball to Everton keeper Tim Howard in the FA Cup with this poor miss.

The penalty shootout between Manchester United and Chelsea in the 2008 Champions League Final saw two grave penalty misses.

Cristiano Ronaldo was the first to miss from the spot and put the game on a platter for Chelsea.

But if that wasn't enough of a gaff, John Terry stepped up and gave the game right back to United and cost Chelsea their first Champions League Trophy.

Uruguay make their second appearance thanks to Luis Suarez. In the 2010 World Cup knockout stage Uruguay were in the thick of it against Ghana, and with the African team about to take the lead after two straight rebound shots the next one fell at Suarez's face and he played keeper.

The event saw the forward red-carded and sent off while former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan stepped up to the spot. Gyan had the chance to see his club advance with just one solid strike.

He sent the keeper the wrong way, but the cross bar would not give, and it saw the shot glance off into the stands as Suarez celebrated on his way down the exit tunnel.

Amir Sayoud spectacularly fluffed a penalty on September 7th. He truly was trying to stutter-step the keeper, but the end result was perhaps the moment that will be the most embarrassing of his career.

Adding insult to injury, Sayoud was booked by the referee for taking an illegal spot-kick. It seems like they could have let him feel his own frustration enough, but you know referees.

Is there one worse? Please link it at the bottom.